This is the HOTV Brewsletter
VOLUME XXII, NUMBER 2
February 2002

PRESIDENT:
Royal Willard
(541) 752-1314
VICE PRESIDENT:
Scott Leonard
(541) 752-0780
NEWSLETTER EDITOR:
Kendall Staggs
(541) 753-6538
CLUB TREASURER:
Lee Smith
(541) 926-2286
FESTIVAL DIRECTOR:
Joel Rea
(541) 758-1674

THIS MONTH'S MEETING

The Heart of the Valley Homebrew Club meets on the third Wednesday of every month, alternating between Corvallis and Albany. Our next meeting will be at 7:00 p.m. on February 20 at the NEW home of Scott, Holly and Alexander Leonard.

Directions to Scott's house: In Corvallis, go North on Kings Blvd. (away from campus), past Fred Meyer to Hayes (between Grant & Garfield) and turn left. The address is 2430 NW Hayes; it is a yellow house on the left, 3 houses West of 23rd St (near Scott Caul's house). From Albany, go towards campus on Kings from Circle and turn right on Hayes, one block after Garfield. Call 752-0780 if you get lost.

LAST MONTH'S MEETING
by Scott Leonard

Last month we had a great time at the Oregon Trader Brewery in Albany. The turnout was good and the beers were excellent. I was a D.D. so I only tried the Oatmeal Stout, which by the way was excellent and inspiring. Thanks again to Eugene for hosting the meeting.

Our club president went under the knife, so I filled in to run the meeting. Royal had back surgery to relieve nagging pain he has had with one of his discs, but told me that he is recovering fine and should be at the next meeting, hopefully pain free. The first issue we discussed was the pubcrawl. Cheers, clap, whehewww·this is what it sounded like soon after I mentioned the words. In Royal's absence we did not set a date; but it will likely be a Saturday in early March. After several years of heading north to seek out fine beers we will be returning to the south end of the Willamette Valley. We will be headed to Eugene to sample beers from places like Spencers, Wild Duck, High Street, Steelhead, BJ's, and West Brothers. It should be fun. If you have any comments or concerns, you can bring them up at the next meeting which is when we will decide the date. I'm sure we will also have a keg of Oregon Trader (flavor?) for the bus ride. All are welcome. I do not know what the cost will be, but we will discuss it at the next meeting.

Another issue we discussed was the 20th annual Oregon Homebrew Festival, sponsored, of course, by the HOTV. Joel did some recruiting for the festival committee and I believe he was able to fill all of the positions! Good job to our festival chair. We should be receiving updates at the upcoming meetings from Joel as to how things are going shortly. Oh yes, mark your calendars the festival will be held at the Benton county fairgrounds May 17 and 18 (Friday & Saturday).

Next, Lee reported that the club's insurance has been paid for the year 2002, which took a huge chunk out of our savings. So Lee followed this remark with a reminder for those who have not paid dues to please do so soon.

That was all of the business stuff I can remember. See you at my new house in Corvallis for the next club meeting.

BEER RECIPE-TRANSATLANTIC BROWN ALE
by Kendall Staggs

Call this a "best of" recipe that combines some of the qualities of a British Brown Ale with those of an American Brown Ale. This recipe is designed for 10 gallons.

Grains:
16 lbs two-row malt
2 lbs 40 L Crystal
1 lb Chocolate Malt
1/2 lb Wheat Malt

Hops:
1.5 oz Goldings, 60 minutes, aa 7.2%
0.5 oz Goldings, 5 minutes, aa 7.2%
0.5 oz Willamette, 5 minutes, aa 3.1%

Yeast: Wyeast #1098 British or 
#1056 American
OG 1.050

ARTICLES FROM THE REAL BEER PAGE

FREDDY HEINEKEN DIES
The Dutchman credited with turning beer in green bottles into premium brand, Alfred Henry "Freddy" Heineken, died in January. He was 78. Heineken's family will retain his controlling stake in the world's third largest brewery. "With the death of Freddy Heineken a unique man left us," said Heineken chief executive Karel Vuursteen in a written statement. Heineken started his career at the company in June 1942 as an 18-year-old. In 1946 he became a sales manager at the company's U.S. distributor. During his two year-stay in the United States he became intrigued by marketing and advertising and returned to the company's headquarters in Europe to build the beer as a premium brand. He designed the famous green bottle and the logo with the red star and the graceful black banner bearing the brand name. And it worked.

GLOBAL BEER CONSUMPTION UP 2.6 PERCENT
Beer Week reports that global beer consumption last year rose 2.6 percent from the previous year to 136.1 million kiloliters, the 15th straight year-on-year increase. The United States ranked Number 1 in consumption followed by China, Germany, Brazil and Japan, according to Kirin Brewery Company. The U.S. drank 23.2 million kiloliters; the Chinese followed closely at 22.0 million kiloliters. The Czech Republic was Number 1 in per capita consumption at 158 liters followed by Ireland at 149 liters. The U.S. was 12th in per capita consumption at 82 liters.

A-B TESTS LOW CARB BEER
Anheuser-Busch has begun testing a new low-carbohydrate beer. Michelob Ultra, with 2.9 grams of carbs compared to 3.2 in a can of Miller Light, is being marketed in Tucson; Denver; and Fort Myers, Florida. "That is a hoot," said nutritionist Stephanie Smith when she heard of the beer. "Beer is not that high in carbohydrates anyway. It's mostly alcohol and water." Beer also contains no fat. Newspaper and billboard advertisements promote the launch. "We pride ourselves on watching consumer trends," said Anheuser-Busch senior brand manager Anne Suppinger. She said extensive research shows a surprising number of beer drinkers watch their carbs. Both Michelob Ultra and Miller Lite contain 96 grams in a 12-ounce serving. Smith, a spokeswoman for the Colorado Dietetic Association, said adults consume between 250 and 300 grams of carbohydrates a day, making Ultra's 0.3-gram edge over Miller minuscule.

BEER BELLY BLOCKER?
Boston scientists have found information that could lead to a way to reduce the tendency of fat cells to cluster around the abdomen and form a beer belly. Researchers at Beth Israel Deconess Medical Center identified a specific enzyme that triggers such activity, and mice that have excessive amounts of the enzyme develop beer bellies. If drug companies can create medication to turn off the enzyme then it would help men reduce their paunch. The benefits go beyond making men look better. The kind of fat that sticks around the abdomen, creating a beer belly, is the kind most associated with a higher risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and certain forms of cancer, researchers say.

BEER GUZZLING RACCOONS
Homeowners in Fort Myers, Florida, say that raccoons are breaking into their homes, eating their bread and drinking their beer. At least four residents have complained to Fort Myers animal control officers about the break-ins. One woman says they ate two loaves of bread and spilled beer on her floor when they broke into her home. Marianne Kinzer said: "I'd like to teach them to do laundry." Residents think the raccoons used to live on a 56-acre former farm where builders have started construction work. "Ever since then these animals have nowhere to go, of course, and they're coming into our homes," Kinzer added.

2001-THE BEER YEAR IN REVIEW
from the Real Beer Page

Czechvar comes to the United States. After quietly testing the market in California late in 2000, Czech brewery Budejovicky Budvar made it official that it is selling beer in the United States. The beer called Budweiser Budvar in much of the rest of the world is known as Czechvar here because Anheuser-Busch owns the U.S. trademark.

Good news in the South: Florida ended a law that limited beer and other malt beverage containers to 8, 12, 16 or 32 ounces, thus broadening the number of beers available. The old law kept many imports and American microbrewed beers out of the state because they are sold in containers, often metric, of other sizes. Bad news in the South: in Georgia, the efforts to raise the alcohol limit on what is called "beer" above 6 percent alcohol by volume failed again, thus keeping out many imports and U.S. craft beers. [Editor's note: the Georgia legislature is currently considering legislation to make it a crime to answer one's door while naked.]

Ireland cancels St. Patrick's Day celebrations. The Irish Republic took the drastic action because of concern about the spread of foot-and-mouth disease. Usually, more than a million Irish pause in their penitence during Lent in favor of four days (March 16-19) of merriment and take to the streets of Dublin to honor St. Patrick with a festival of music, street theater, and parades and plenty of Stout.

COMMERCIAL BEER REVIEWS
by Kendall Staggs
WINTER BEERS

Here are some brief reviews of some of our local winter specialty beers.

Powder Hound Winter Ale (Big Sky Brewing, Missoula, MT) Deep copper color, huge beige head. Sweet, fruity aroma. Moderately sweet malt flavor. Just enough hop bitterness at the end. Rich, full-bodied, satisfying. Excellent.

Winter Fish Seasonal Ale (Fish Brewing, Olympia, WA) Pale golden color. Hoppy aroma. Hoppy flavor. Lots of hop bitterness. Did I say it was hoppy?

BETO'S BEER ADVENTURES
by Beto Zuniga

Jolly Roger Taproom, Seattle
This is the hospitality room for Maritime Pacific. Located in the industry section of Ballard, it has a rough look from the outside. Once inside the look is much more comfortable. Having a nautical / pirate motif the room is small but full with regulars. The food is "small" pubgrub. It has small, appetizer-size sandwiches but they are very tasty. The flagship beer is called, remarkably, Flagship Red Ale. Other beers include Clipper Gold Wheat Ale, Fire Gold Golden Ale (Kölsch style), Islander Pale Ale, Nightwatch Dark Ale, Salmon Bay Bitter, and the seasonal Jolly Roger, a Strong Ale.

Bad News in Texas
This holiday season I took a trip to my old stomping grounds, Tejas. I saw a lot of brew establishment closures have occured in the Houston / Galveston area. This is bad news for the real beer enthusiasts. Here is a list of brewpubs that had homebrewer ties, mainly Foamrangers, that have been lost: the Village Brewery (Houston's first), the Houston Brewery (Houston's second), and the Bank Draft Brewery (my old hangout along with the Gingerman), the Galveston Brewery (Galveston's second). Others that have closed are Hofbräu, Bay Brewery, Market Square Brewpub, Huey's, the Mercantile, the Rock Bottom-all in Houston-and the Strand Brewery in Galveston. I believe Bradley's, a popular site for the Foamrangers, is still open and one new place has opened in the village called Two Rooms. Another bit of bad news (if old news) from Austin is that Miller has closed down the Celis Brewery, the authentic Belgium brewery started by Pierre Celis who resurrected the Witbier style when he was with Hoegaarden (I guess when you make a deal with the devil look to get burned). One bit of good news is Houston's first and only true microbrewery, St. Arnold's, had its best year in 2001. It has developed quite a following, the St. Arnold's Army. Brock, the main man at St. Arnold's, has always been a great supporter of homebrewers, who are the brewery's best customers.

BREWER HOPES TO GIVE LIQUOR MORE BITE
from Dianna Fisher
January 11, 2002, Seoul

A South Korean brewer has come up with an alternative way for people to enjoy their favorite tipple: "chewable liquor." Kooksoondang Brewery Company said Friday it had developed a gelatin form of its popular Paeksaejoo rice wine, a mild version of South Korea's fiery soju liquor.

"We were looking for new ways to consume traditional liquor," a company spokesman said. "But so far, we don't have concrete plans to market the product and consumer surveys are under study," he said. South Korea and Japan are co-hosting this year's soccer World Cup in May. The company said it planned to take a decision on the new product before the end of January.

BEER DRINKERS' GROUP IN A FROTH OVER SKIMPY PINTS
January 24, 2002, London

British beer drinkers are being shortchanged on their favorite tipple with nine out of 10 pints falling short of the mark, a consumer rights group said on Thursday. The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) said its latest research gathered from pubs and regional Trading Standards authorities showed that 90 percent of pints poured fell short of being 100 percent liquid with a quarter falling short of the industry guidelines of 95 percent. "Our research shows clearly that short measure is on the increase and there is a need for government action to stop drinkers being ripped off," said CAMRA spokesman Mike Benner.

But breweries and pubs shrugged off CAMRA's complaint and said drinkers expected to see a decent head on their pint. "The head on a pint of beer is like the froth on a cappuccino-part and parcel of what customers expect to see and be served," said Mark Hastings, spokesman for the British Beer and Pub Association. "There is one complaint for every 256 million pints poured which I think shows how low profile this issue really is."

THIRSTY TOWN HOPES FOR FRIESINGER GOLD
from Dianna Fisher
January 17, 2002, Munich

The 4130 inhabitants of the small Bavarian town of Inzell are building up a thirst. The reason? Local speedskater Anni Friesinger has promised to throw a three-day party with free beer for everyone if she wins gold at the Salt Lake City Winter Games. It could be a costly party. Friesinger, 25, is one of the hot favorites for at least three gold medals. She has won all of her 1500-meters and 3000 / 5000m World Cup races this season.

Such is the German's dominance that she won the 1500m in the latest event at Heerenveen in the Netherlands by almost two seconds over her closest rival, Jennifer Rodriguez of the United States, and the 3000m over the Netherlands' Renate Groenewold by almost four seconds. "Anni is pretty much unstoppable," Rodriguez said. "It's Anni, and then on any given day, someone else."

MONKS CRY FOWL OVER RISK TO BEER WATER
from Dianna Fisher
January 29, 2002, Brussels

A monastery that has brewed one of Belgium's most famous beers for the past 400 years is worried that the spring water used in its ales is in danger of being polluted by droppings from a nearby poultry farm. Monks at Saint-Remy monastery in Rochefort, southern Belgium, which produces the red, white, and green capped Rochefort beers, have asked Liege University to study the permeability of the land around the monastery.

The monks are concerned that plans to expand the poultry farm will lead to extra droppings that will pollute the precious spring water. Records show that the monastery had a brewery as far back as 1595, when barley and hops were grown in the grounds. But as every beer lover knows, the secret is in the purity of the water.

"We're afraid the quality of the water will change," said a spokesman for the 16 monks who continue to brew the famous Rochefort trappist beers. Since plans for the bigger poultry farm were drawn up, the council has received about 100 complaints from local residents concerned about possible damage to the environment.

FRED HUBER DIES
from the Chicago Beer History Page

Fred Huber of the Huber Brewing Company passed away on January 7 in Chicago. Frederick William Huber, age 70, joined his father at the Joseph Huber Brewing Company of Monroe, Wisconsin, expanding the business from a local brewery to a regional brewery, marketing its brands in more than 30 states. He developed the Augsburger brand, and later, Fred and his son developed the Berghoff brand. He was also involved in the Peter Hand Brewing Company, located at the old Meister BrŠu brewery site, marketing beer under the Old Chicago label, the last brewery remaining in Chicago until the "Micro" resurgence.